Composition

SC:01 Structure

Basic Structure

Basic Pattern Structure of a japanese sentence.


Basic Elements

① Initial Elements

Connectives: Provides connection to previous sentence.
Adverbials: Provides an initial gut feeling or mood of the sentence.
Topic: Introduce the topic of the sentence.

② Main Elements

・Describes the subject of the sentence.
・Provides supplementary details about the engine on what action it does or the current state it is in.
・Includes the subject, object, indirect object, time, location, modifiers such as adjectives, adverbs, noun phrases, etc.

③ Engine

・The driving force of the sentence.
・It does tell the kind of sentence on whether it is a nominal, adjectival, or verbal sentence.
・Includes either a verb, an adjective or a noun with modifiers plus copula, auxiliaries, particles, conjunction, etc.


Sentence Classification

❖ Determined by type of word the predicate or complement consist of:

Nominal: Noun. Noun Phrase.
Adjectival: I-Adjective or Na-Adjective.
Verbal: Transitive or Intransitive. Existential. Movement. Change. Verb Phrase.

① Nominal Class

Noun Ⓐ + Noun Ⓑ + Copula: Ⓑ describes or identifies Ⓐ

・ジョンさんがアメリカじんです.
・John-san ga amerika-jin desu.
・John is an American.

・名詞は 名詞です.・名詞は 名詞でした.・名詞は 名詞じゃない.・名詞は 名詞ではありません.

② Adjectival Class: I-Adjective

Adjective Ⓐ + Noun Ⓑ: Ⓑ describes Ⓐ

・空が青い.
・Sora ga aoi.
・The sky is blue.

・名詞は イ形容詞です.・名詞は イ形容詞でした.・名詞は イ形容詞くないです.・名詞は イ形容詞くなかった.

③ Adjectival Class: Na-Adjective

Adjective Ⓐ + Noun Ⓑ + Copula: Ⓑ describes Ⓐ

・地下鉄が便利.
・Chikatetsu ga benri da.
・The subway is convenient.

・名詞は ナ形容詞です.・名詞は ナ形容詞でした.・名詞は ナ形容詞ではありません.・名詞は ナ形容詞ではありませんでした.

④ Verbal Class: Intransitive

Subject Ⓐ + Verb Ⓑ: Ⓑ describes the state of Ⓐ

・桜さん来た.
・Sakura-san ga kita.
・Sakura came.

・名詞が 動詞(自動詞).

⑤ Verbal Class: Transitive

Subject Ⓐ + Object Ⓑ + Verb Ⓒ: Ⓐ does the action Ⓒ to Ⓑ

・先生は授業始めた.
・Sensei wa jugyou o hajimeta.
・The teacher began teaching.

・名詞が 名詞を 動詞(他動詞).

⑥ Verbal Class: Existential・Movement・Change

Subject Ⓐ + Verb Ⓑ : Ⓑ indicates the existence・movement・changes of Ⓐ

・ネットワークに問題があります.
・Nettowaaku ni mondai ga arimasu.
・There is a problem with the network.

・名詞に 名詞が 動詞(存在動詞).・名詞が 名詞に 動詞(移動動詞)名詞が 名詞から 名詞に 動詞(移動動詞).・名詞が 名詞に 名詞を 動詞(受授動詞).


Sentence Construction

Sentence Style
Simple Style
❖ Consist of one main clause with subject and-or just an engine

・Example of these are simple declarative, interrogative, imperative sentences, etc.

① One Main Clause:

Adjective + Noun + Particle + Verb + Auxiliary + Copula

・大事な話があるんです.
・I have something important to tell you.


Conjoined Style
❖ Consists of two independent clauses with subject and-or just an engine

AND-Relation: The use connective forms to connect the two independent clauses.
AND-Relation: The use conjunctive particles to connect the two independent clauses.
BUT-Relation: The use conjunctive particles to connect the two opposite independent clauses.
INTER-Relation: The use connectives or conjunctions to connect the two independent clauses.

① AND-Relation: Connective forms of verbs, adjectives and copula

Sentence(I-Adj-Ending) + kute + Sentence

・この辞書は安くて便利だ.
・This dictionary is cheap and convenient.

Sentence(Na-Adj-Ending) + de + Sentence

・りなさんはきれいでやさしいです.
・Rina-san is beautiful and kind.

Sentence(Noun-Ending) + de + Sentence

・ウンさんは中国人でキムさんは韓国人です.
・Mr.Wong is Chinese and Mr. Kim is Korean.

Sentence(Vnoun-base-Ending) + Sentence

・私は朝六時に起き、夜十時ごろ寝る.
・I get up at six in the morning and go to bed around ten at night.

Sentence(Vte-Ending) + Sentence

・山田さんはラメンを食べてビールを飲む.
・Yamada-san eats ramen and drinks beer.

② BUT-Relation: Conjunctive Particles

Sentence(V/I-Adj/(N/Na-Adj+Cop)-Ending) + shi + Sentence
shi particle connects one or multiple reasons but not naming all of it.

・この辞書は安くて便利だ.
・This dictionary is cheap and convenient.

・この事件はほぼ終息したし二度と起こることはない.
・This incident has more or less ended and will never happen again.

Sentence(V/I-Adj/N/Na-Adj) + toka + Sentence
toka cite a thing or an instance among other things or situation.

・じゃあ映画を字幕なしで見るとか日本の音楽を聞くとかはどう?
・So how about watching movies without subtitles or listening to Japanese music?

③ BUT-Relation: Conjunctive Particles

Sentence + ga + Sentence

・この辞書は安くて便利だ.
・This dictionary is cheap and convenient.

・家内はフランス語を話せるが私が話せない.
・My wife can speak French but I can’t.

Sentence + kedo + Sentence

・入ってもいいけどしずかにしてくださいね.
・You can come in but please be quiet.

Sentence + keredomo + Sentence

・あそびたいけれども宿題はまだ終わってない.
・I want to play but I haven’t finished my homework yet.

④ Connectives・Conjunctions

Sentence + connectives・conjunctions + Sentence

・あの人は頭がいい. そのうえ性格してもいい.
・僕は駅前の喫茶店に行った. そしてそこで友達を待っていた.
・彼は新しい、いい車を持っている. でもめったに乗らない.
・手紙を出した. しかし返事はこなかった.
・車で行きますか. それとも飛行機で行きますか.
・私が別れようと言った. すると彼女雨は泣き出した.
・日本語を勉強すると役に立つ. だから日本をしている.
・金がない. つまり、貧乏なんです.

・He is smart. On top of that, he has a good personality.
・I went to a coffee shop in front of the station. And there I waited for my friend.
・He has a new, nice car, but he rarely drives it.
・I sent him a letter. But he never wrote back.
・Do you want to go by car? Or do you want to go by car or by plane?
・I said goodbye. Then she started to cry.
・I told her that studying Japanese would be useful for her. That’s why I’m doing Japan.
・I don’t have money. I mean, we are poor.


Complex Style
❖ Consists of one main clause and at lest one subordinate clause

Relative Clause: The use relative clause as a subordinate clause to provide additional information.
Complement Clause: The use complement clause as a subordinate clause to complete the meaning of whole sentence.
Conditional Clause: The use conditional clause as a subordinate clause to set some conditions.

① Relative Clause: Direct Information

Relative Clause + Noun

・私が昨日見た犬はかわいいだ.
・As for the dog which I saw yesterday was adorable.

② Complement Clause: Naming・Calling・Defining

Complement Clause + toiu + Noun

・日本語は曖昧な言葉だという考えは珍しくない.
・The idea that Japanese is an ambiguous language is not uncommon.

③ Complement Clause: Nominalized

Complement Clause + no・koto

・光子がピアノを弾いているのを聞いた.
・ひかるさんが今日は来ることを知らなかった.

・I heard Mitsuko playing the piano.
・I didn’t know Hikaru-san was going to be here today.

④ Complement Clause: Interrogative Quotation

Complement Clause + ka・ka dou ka・no ka dou ka

・誰がそれをするかが問題だ.
・あの学生は真面目かどうかしていますか.

・It’s just a question of who’s going to do it.
・Do you know whether or not that student is serious?

⑤ Complement Clause: Declarative Quotation

Complement Clause + to iu・omou・kangaeru・etc.

・あそこはたぶん静かだと思います.
・彼は漢字は難しくないと言っている.

・It’s probably quiet over there.
・He says Kanji is not difficult.

⑥ Complement Clause: Adverbial Nature

Complement Clause + you ni・mitai ni

・零さないように運んでください.
・彼は子供みたいに泣いて謝ったの.

・Please carry it without spilling it.
・He cried like a little kid and apologized.

⑦ Complement Clause: Adjectival Nature

Complement Clause + you na・mitai na

・どことなく修学旅行のような雰囲気です.
・迷路みたいな小さな路地ばかり.

・The atmosphere is somewhat like a school trip.
・They are all little alleys like a maze.

⑧ Conditional Clause: Conditional・Hypothetical

Conditional Clause + tara・to・nara・ba

・コートを着たら寒くありません.
・彼女は酒を飲むと顔が赤くなる.
・毎日練習をすれば上手になるよ.
・君がいやだと言うのならだれかほかの者にやらせる.

・If you put on a coat, it’s not cold.
・If she drinks, her face turns red.
・If you practice every day, you’ll get better.
・If you don’t want to do it, I’ll get someone else to do it.

⑨ Clauses: Time・Degree・Purpose・Reason・Etc

Subordinate Clause + conjunctions + Main Clause

・私がそこにいた時には異常はなかった.
・私は日本留学するために日本語を勉強しています.

・There was nothing unusual when I was there.
・I’m studying Japanese in order to study in Japan.

⑩ Phrasal Particles: Pre-Nominal-Form・Pre-Verbal-Form

Noun・Noun Phrase + phrasal particles + Clause

・彼は妹のためのケーキを作った.
・天気によって計画が変わるかもしれません.

・He made a cake for his sister.
・The plan might change depending on the weather.


Sentence Modes
❖ Mode of the Sentence:

・The mode of the sentence can be set by adding auxiliaries at the end and in effect it sets the type and function.
Auxiliaries are added in order to slightly change the meaning of the sentence or give a nuance or a function.
Auxiliaries are used as modality expressions on how to perceive a matter or how to convey it to the listener.


Sentence Types
① Interrogative Sentence:

Clause + ka・no

・いつまで預けるつもりですかい.
・How long do you plan to keep them?

② Imperative Sentence:

Vte + kudasai

・お客様アカウントにログインしてください.
・Please log in to your customer account.

③ Declarative Sentence:

Clause + desu

・小さくはじめるというのは非常に大事です.
・Starting small is very important.

⑥ Topic-Comment Sentence:

Topic Ⓐ + Comment Ⓑ: Ⓑ describes Ⓐ

・日本は春と秋がいい.
・As for Japan, spring and fall are good.


Sentence Functions
❖ Sentence Functions:

Prohibition: Prohibit something to do.
Permission: Give or give permission to do.
Request: Ask for something or something to do.


Sample Sentences
Phrase

Simple

Casual

Daily

Modes

Clause Construction

Clause Formation
❖ Clause Formation: Basic Elements

Main: Optional.
Engine: Required.

リンゴを食べる前に皮をむきなさい.
・Take the skin off before you eat the apple.


Clause Category
❖ Main Clause: Independent Clause: 主節

A main clause is a group of words with a subject and a verb. It is one that can stand alone and makes complete sense.

❖ Subordinate Clause: Dependent Clause: 従属節

A subordinate clause is a group of words that consists of a subject, a verb and a subordinating conjunction or a relative pronoun. Unlike main clauses, subordinate clauses cannot stand alone or convey complete meaning when taken separately from the sentence it is a part of.

日本語は難しい思いません.
・I don’t think Japanese is difficult.

日本のドラマをたくさん見たから耳が良くなりました.
・Because I watched many Japanese TV dramas, my listening comprehension improved.


Clause Types
❖ Relative Clause:

Used to give additional information about a noun.
Internal relative clause: Provides direct information of a noun.
External relative clause: Provides indirect information of a noun which may be an abstract concept of thoughts or assertions. Uses to iu or tte.

❖ Complement Clause:

Serves to complete the meaning of a noun or verb.
Could function as the subject or object of the verb.
Indicated by no, koto or to.

❖ Conditional Clause:

States a hypothesis or condition.
It could be real, factual, imagined or counter-factual.
Indicated by tara, ba, nara and to.


Clause Forms
❖ Adjectival Clause:

It is adjectival in nature if use adjectives to provide additional information about the noun.
Indicated by na, adjectives.

❖ Adverbial Clause:

It is adjectival in nature if provides additional information about the verb which is verb phrase.
Indicated by ni, te and phrasal particles in pre-verbal form.

❖ Nominal Clause:

It is adjectival in nature if it provides additional information about a noun which is noun phrase.
Indicated by no, specialized nouns and phrasal particles in pre-nominal form.


SC:02 Expressions


SC:03 Sentences

Level


Native


Simple


Expressions


Collections

C1

C2

C3

C4

C5

C6

C7

C8

C9


Grammars


SC:04 Readings


SC:05 Semantics

Adverbs


Adjective-I


Adjective-Na


Similars


Essence

ES:01 Schema.Foundation

Core


Basic


Level


ES:02 Schema.Reference

Application

Time.Order

Time.Events

Function

Criteria

Compulsion

Inflection

Causative

Categories

Adverbs

ES:03 Schema.Levelling

N3


N2


N1


L3


L2


K3


S2


ES:04 Schema.Progression


ES:05 Schema.Refinement


ES:06 Schema.Consolidation